Ex Pragmatics
Pragmatics Exercises
(Source: Fromkin & Rodman's 1998 edition of An Introduction to Language (6th ed.))
Task I: The following sentences make certain presuppositions. What are they? (The first one has been done for you!)
1. The police ordered the minors to stop drinking.
Presupposition: The minors were drinking.
2. Please take me out to the ball game again.
Presupposition:
3. Valerie regretted not receiving a new T-bird for Labor Day.
Presupposition:
4. That her pet turtle ran away made Emily very sad.
Presupposition:
5. The administration forgot that the professors support the students. (Cf. "The administration believes that the professors support the students," in which there is no such presupposition.)
Presupposition:
6. It is strange that the United States invaded Cambodia in 1970.
Presupposition:
7. Isn't it strange that the United States invaded Cambodia in 1970?
Presupposition:
8. Disa wants more popcorn.
Presupposition:
9. Why don't pigs have wings?
Presupposition:
10.Who discovered America in 1492?
Presupposition:
Task II: Circle any deictic expression in the following sentences. (Hint: Proper names and noun phrases containing "the" are not considered deictic expressions. Also, all sentences do not include deictic expressions.)
1. I saw her standing there.
2. Dogs are animals.
3. Yesterday, all my troubles seemed so far away.
4. The name of this rock band is "The Beatles."
5. The Declaration of Independence was signed in 1776.
6. The Declaration of Independence was signed last year.
7. Copper conducts electricity.
8. The treasure chest is on the right.
9. These are the times that try men's souls.
10.There is a tide in the affairs of men which taken at the flood leads on to fortune.
(Source: Fromkin & Rodman's 1998 edition of An Introduction to Language (6th ed.))
Task I: The following sentences make certain presuppositions. What are they? (The first one has been done for you!)
1. The police ordered the minors to stop drinking.
Presupposition: The minors were drinking.
2. Please take me out to the ball game again.
Presupposition:
3. Valerie regretted not receiving a new T-bird for Labor Day.
Presupposition:
4. That her pet turtle ran away made Emily very sad.
Presupposition:
5. The administration forgot that the professors support the students. (Cf. "The administration believes that the professors support the students," in which there is no such presupposition.)
Presupposition:
6. It is strange that the United States invaded Cambodia in 1970.
Presupposition:
7. Isn't it strange that the United States invaded Cambodia in 1970?
Presupposition:
8. Disa wants more popcorn.
Presupposition:
9. Why don't pigs have wings?
Presupposition:
10.Who discovered America in 1492?
Presupposition:
Task II: Circle any deictic expression in the following sentences. (Hint: Proper names and noun phrases containing "the" are not considered deictic expressions. Also, all sentences do not include deictic expressions.)
1. I saw her standing there.
2. Dogs are animals.
3. Yesterday, all my troubles seemed so far away.
4. The name of this rock band is "The Beatles."
5. The Declaration of Independence was signed in 1776.
6. The Declaration of Independence was signed last year.
7. Copper conducts electricity.
8. The treasure chest is on the right.
9. These are the times that try men's souls.
10.There is a tide in the affairs of men which taken at the flood leads on to fortune.